Friday, December 9, 2011

A Piggy for Your Friday

As if butter isn't totally awesome on its own, how fun would it be to eat it out of this little piggy?

By Jonathan Adler

This piggy brightened my Friday and I hope he brightens yours.

Friday, December 2, 2011

December!

Happy December!  I can't believe the holiday season is almost here.  Is it just me or were we just wearing shorts and going to the beach?!

To get into the spirit, Andy and I went and got a teeny tiny Christmas tree last weekend.  This evening we're celebrating December's arrival by sitting by our beautiful little tree, watching a movie, and drinking Shipyard Prelude.



Next week is my last week of classes (!!!!!) and then I'll be going into full Christmas mode.  I'll be sure to share some cute holiday ideas here!

P.S. See of Love turns 1 this month!

Tuesday, November 22, 2011

Giving Thanks

With Thanksgiving around the corner, we are feeling thankful for lots of people, places, and things.

Via HGTV

We are thankful for:

Loving family, including new addition Sally,

New friends and old friends from the East Coast to the West Coast (Hi Marie!) and beyond (Hi Chlo!),

Our charming, intelligent, loving boyfriends who brighten every day,

Our jobs/schools that allow us to grow and contribute to the world,

And finally, we are so incredibly thankful for all of our lovely readers :) You make us very happy and we are thankful for you every day.

What are you thankful for? We hope you have a family- and food-filled Thanksgiving. xo

Friday, November 18, 2011

Bench - complete!

Remember this weekend project? Chloe reminded me that I never showed you all a final picture of the bench in action. So here are two photos of the bench at the end of the bed storing too many books and newspapers. It's definitely serving its purpose.



I hope you all have a nice relaxing weekend before a week full of too much food. Do you have any plans? Are you preparing for Thanksgiving? Any good recipes you want to share? xo

Wednesday, November 16, 2011

Loved

Isn't this ring beautiful?  I have been obsessing over it for a while now so I figured I would share it.  It's also available with a "mama" inscription...so sweet!

via St. Kilda Jewelry

Saturday, November 12, 2011

Happy Weekend!

It's the weekend!  I hope you're enjoying a warm cup of coffee and a yummy breakfast this morning.  Now that we're almost mid-way through November I am starting to see the light at the end of the tunnel when it comes to this long, long semester.

via Diary of a Locavore

This weekend I'm planning on getting some work done on school projects and on  a few Christmas presents.  I'm trying a homemade holiday season this year and it's been fun coming up with gift ideas.  I'll share some soon (without ruining the surprise, I hope!).

P.S.  Have you seen my beeeauuuuutiful niece, Sally?  My sister has been posting pictures on her blog!
P.P.S.  Do you use Pinterest?  I'm obsessed!

Monday, November 7, 2011

Weekend project recap

I have been looking for a new bench for our bedroom for a while now. West Elm and Pottery Barn sell some beauties, but you have to shell out $200-$400. I needed something in the near-free price range. Thus, Ben and I took a trip to Home Depot to build our own.

We were clearly beginners at the hardware store - not knowing which wood, screws, or wood stain to buy. But we swallowed our pride and recruited the help of Mr. Mike in the orange apron. He showed us the ropes and now we'd like to share some tips with you!

Tip #1) If you don't own a saw, plan ahead and make sure you have someone at the store cut the wood for you. We wanted a bench that was about 3 feet in length to fit in our pint-sized apartment. After lugging home five bags of goods on the Metro, Ben was off to work on the bottom part of the bench.


Tip #2) Buy pre-made legs. They are about $3.50 each at the hardware store and when you're painting your bench outside in front of your apartment you get lots of compliments like "those are beautiful legs you've got."


3) Paint outside. Whether you have wood stain or paint, do not paint inside. The fumes will make you go brain dead. But don't sit as close to the street as I did. That is also dangerous.


4) Use push pins (or thumb tacs) to turn your bench right side up when the legs are still wet. Ben and I started staining the bottom of the bench before the top. That meant that we had already painted the legs of the bench. To prevent the legs of the bench from sticking to the newspaper that we laid on the ground, we stuck push pins in the bottom of the legs, lifting the legs an extra inch in the air. Although you can't see the push pins in the picture below, the bench is very happy to not be stuck to the trash bag.


Tip #5) When nothing else will remove the wood stain on your hands, nail polish remover will! It was a life saver when I super glued my fingers together last year, and it was a life saver once again this past weekend when the sticky wood stain wouldn't come off of our fingers. Thank you, nail polish remover.

Stay tuned for a pic of the final product in use!

Thursday, November 3, 2011

Feeling fortunate...

...to have friends that drink good Malbec and cook homemade pumpkin gnocchi and crunchy kale salad on an ordinary Thursday night.

Gnocchi and kale

Gnocchi on parchment, friends on couch
Gnocchi master
Malbec and gnocchi

Something for the wish list

I'm still living in the dark ages, but if I had an iPhone I would keep it safe and warm in this tortoise shell case.  Isn't it beeeeauuuuuuuutiful?!

via goincase.com

Wednesday, November 2, 2011

Party Down

A few weeks ago, Andy introduced me to a show called Party Down.  I got totally hooked.  Have you seen it?  It's hilarious!  It's about a group of struggling actors and writers who cater wild parties filled with total wackos.  The cast is great, too.  I found out later that Paul Rudd was one of the show's creators - no wonder it tickled my funny bone.  Best part?  It's all on Netflix :)

Pendleton Dreaming

The temperature dropped by about 15 degrees in the past week in DC. Anna introduced me to Pendleton wool, and now I've got Pendleton blankets on the brain. Should I get one? It would be such a warm and toasty addition to our apartment! Which one below do you like best? Happy Wednesday and Happy November!

The traditional Glacier National Park Blanket
The Chief Joseph Blanket in Ivory
The Rainbow Apache Blanket
The Gatekeeper Blanket

Monday, October 31, 2011

Since I've been gone...

Oh dear...it's been a while since I've stopped by here.  Now that it's almost November (gasp!), I decided I need to make my way back into the blogosphere.  First and foremost, let me fill you in on where I've been...

October started off with a bang; or, rather, a midnight drive down to Cape Cod when we got the call that my sister was in labor.  Here's my beautiful (one-month-old!) niece, Sally, here to wish you a Happy Halloween!  Pretty spooky, huh?!


The rest of October went by in a blur: midterm stress, birthday celebrations for a certain tall/dark/handsome someone, a THREE (!!!!) year anniversary celebration, and finally, a visit with Liz!

When Liz arrived in Portland last weekend, it was the first time we had seen each other in almost a year and a half!  That's just unacceptable, if you ask me.  We had the most relaxing weekend involving long walks around town, yummy food, tall glasses of wine, and outlet shopping.  There was even a guest appearance from our most loyal reader.


Lizzo, let's never go that long without seeing each other again!

Thursday, September 29, 2011

Weekend plans

It's only Thursday and I'm already thinking about the weekend. We're going to go apple picking so that we can make more delicious pies like these,


Go to this craft fair right by our apartment,

And maybe even paint my nails like the ones below. I mean, how cool are they?

Via Apartment 34

What are your plans? For Anna, this may be the weekend that she becomes an aunt!

Monday, September 26, 2011

The Final Countdown

As I mentioned a few months ago, I'm going to be an aunt.   Very soon, in fact - my sister is due TODAY!  As you might expect, things have been a little baby-crazy around here.  It's been especially fun picking up cute toys and imagining a little baby playing with them in just a few weeks!  Here are a few things we've gotten for the littlest member of the family.

Meet Marvin the Lion, the baby's first stuffed animal. (I bought this a week after I found out my sister was pregnant!)

via jellycat.com 

The cutest book of baby haikus:

via haikutwobytwo.com

A DIY mobile (inspired by this one):

via land of nod

A home-sewn blanket:


What are your favorite gifts for new babies?

Wednesday, September 21, 2011

Man Gift

We always talk about clothes and gifts for women, but rarely for men. We need to get better at doing that. So when I spotted this online store for guys, I figured I'd share. I love the notepads, the belts...everything from Wood & Faulk. The bag below would make a really nice gift for any boyfriend, brother, or dad who likes to travel. Looks like something that would last for years. And really nice for fall, which begins Friday!

Via Wood & Faulk

I hope you all have a great start to your fall. (It is definitely my favorite season.) Here's to crisp air, falling leaves, apple pie, the smell of wood in the fireplace, and cozy sweaters. Mmmm.

Wednesday, September 14, 2011

Tuesday, September 13, 2011

Puppies!

Earlier this summer, my sister and her husband finally decided to breed their dog, Fisher.  Two weeks ago, the pups were born and I woke up this morning to find some adorable pictures in my inbox that I knew I had to share!  Their eyes aren't open yet, and they mostly just lay around in a pile, but what could be better than a whole pile of puppies to start of your hectic Tuesday?!

Here's the proud, handsome dad (and the #1 coolest dawg around):


And the pups:



Wouldn't you love to spend the day lounging with these furry little guys?

Monday, September 12, 2011

See of Love Fall Essentials

Feeling like your wardrobe is a little drab? Us too. Here are our picks for fall 2011.

Blazer via JCrew.com
Tie blouse via Piperlime.com
Bright skinny trousers via Zara.com 
Dark wash jeans via Gap.com
Animal print pump via Nordstrom.com

What do you have in your closet for this fall? We'd love to hear! Happy Monday :)

Friday, September 9, 2011

Blowing in the Wind

Wishing I could spend my day today lounging in the AC like this pup. He just looks so incredibly comfortable. Even if you don't spend your weekend lounging on the air vent, I hope you have a relaxing weekend :)


Wednesday, September 7, 2011

You say tomato, I say tomato

There is nothing better this time of year than eating cherry tomatoes by the fistful, or heirloom tomatoes with just a pinch of salt. They are that good.

This week's pickings...

...from the Dupont farmers' market

Got too many? Why don't you try out this simple, delicious recipe and freeze a few jars so that you can remember what summer tastes like in a few months when you'll be well into fall.

xo :)

Thursday, August 11, 2011

The Best Chocolate Chip Cookies

For as long as I've known how to bake, my go-to cookie recipe has been an oatmeal chocolate chip cookie from my mom's recipe box.  I finally tried this recipe that my sister has been raving about all year, and I think I have found a new favorite.  They are the perfect balance of sweet and salty, plus they are made with whole wheat flour.*  I like to keep them in the freezer - perfect for hot days (and for keeping me from eating too many at once :)

photo via Diary of a Locavore


You can find the recipe here, at Diary of a Locavore.

*Andy thought they were actually peanut butter cookies because of the texture they get from the flour. I still don't think he believes me that they are PB-free!

Saturday, August 6, 2011

The Saturday Find - morning granola

Today we have "The Saturday Find" instead of "The Friday Find." Why? Because I was giving these jars of granola away as gifts and I didn't want to ruin the surprise!

This past week I made a huge batch of this delicious granola. It came out crunchy and chewy and sweet (and even a little salty, mmm) - everything you'd hope granola would be. It served as a yummy, affordable gift for a few great people. So far, it is the best granola recipe I have found out there on the world wide web.



For those who want to make this granola, the recipe suggests stirring the granola every ten minutes, but I would suggest every twenty minutes. That way you get bigger clusters. If you like crunchier granola, I also suggest turning the heat up to 325 for the last ten minutes of baking.

Enjoy! And have a very relaxing weekend :)

Friday, August 5, 2011

Puppies for your Friday

The Friday Find is being delayed until Saturday (I know, I know, lame), because I am giving today's Friday Find away as gifts to a few special people and I don't want them to read it before receiving their present! So, naturally, instead, this post will be about... PUPPIES!

This past weekend in Cleveland, I spent quality time with my cousin's dog Emma. She is a 130 lb Newfoundland. She has black hair, big paws, and a lot of drool. She is so incredibly mellow and lets you sleep in until 9:30 am without making a fuss; yet, when you want her to be energetic, she is a great hiker and swimmer. My ideal dog in many ways.

Emma chilling with Ben in the car

Emma in a waterfall in the middle of our hike  





The only problem is that when she sees a squirrel, you are screwed. That dog is strong. She could pull you for miles if she wanted too. (She doesn't usually want to, because she's pretty lazy, but you get the point.) So then I got to thinking: What would my ideal dog be? And when can I get one?

How bout you guys? What kind of dog would you want?

Happy Friday :)

Monday, August 1, 2011

Gen Y

This weekend I was at a family reunion in Cleveland and we all got to talking about our jobs and the hours that we work and the things that we like to do at night. I found out that most of my cousins in their twenties, including myself, work a 9-5 (really, a 9-6) job and take as much time as possible for long weekend getaways. We don't like to stay late at night and we make sure to take advantage of any and all work perks - free meals, transportation, etc. The slightly older generation of cousins and relatives (those in their thirties and forties), however, get up at 6 am and work until 7 or 8 pm, work weekends and take minimal vacation.

Image via Zazzle.com

Why is this? What's with the change in work ethic? Are the young adults of Gen Y slackers? Or do we simply "work to live" as opposed to "live to work"? What do you think?

Just some food for thought for your Monday. xo

Friday, July 22, 2011

The Friday Find

Remember two weeks ago when Anna said it was hot, hot, hot in Maine? I have her beat. This is today's forecast for DC:

Via weather.com

Feels like 121 degrees? Are you kidding me? This week's Friday Find will include popsicles, renting DVDs, air-conditioned happy hours, and begging to get a spot by friends' rooftop pools.

Here is our hot, hot, heat guide on a budget:

1) While I would love a Zoku Quick Pop Maker (which makes popsicles in less than 10 minutes), I would rather spend $50 on new shoes. So I will settle for these lemon, lime, and mint slush cups that fit so nicely in the lemon rinds themselves.

2) A Redbox DVD: use the promo code DVDONME and it's free, free, free!

3) If you're in DC, be sure to check out Masa 14 or Mandu before 7 PM for $4 drinks like gin and tonics and mojitos. Or stop by Loriol Plaza for a $6 frozen margarita. Mmmmm.

4) If you don't have friends who can offer you their rooftop pools, you should check out the public pools in your area. In DC there are a whole bunch and they're not gross at all! In fact, they're quite nice! My favorite one is the Foggy Bottom pool at 25th and N NW. Check it out!

I hope you're staying cool. Have a lovely, lovely weekend!

Tuesday, July 19, 2011

Summer Snacks

Throwing together my breakfast this morning, I stumbled upon a seriously yummy combination.  It's also pretty much the easiest breakfast ever: fill a bowl with cherries and add a dollop of ricotta on the side.  Dip the cherries in the ricotta and pop 'em in your mouth.  Top it off with a creamy iced coffee and you've got breakfast perfection!


Now my mind is racing with other cherry-ricotta recipes...maybe these scones with cherries instead of raspberries?

Also on the docket today: doing something with this pile of garlic scapes.


I'm thinking pesto...any suggestions?

Monday, July 18, 2011

To sweeten your Monday

A cake rolled in Reese's cups?! Are you kidding me?! Unbelievable. I would want to eat a slice right now if it weren't 100 degrees out. I'll opt for a popsicle today but you can be sure I'll keep this in my mind at all times for future birthdays and holidays. Or maybe we could celebrate Cake Day once a year like these guys.

Via Picky Eatings

Want to make this cake yourself? You can find the recipe here.

Hope your Monday is now a little sweeter! XO
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